Melania Trump Plagiarized Her Convention Speech From Michelle Obama

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Feb 4, 2009
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The problem is per the reporting.

1.) She initially claimed she mostly wrote it herself. There's audio of her saying that and tough to roll back without making her further look like a liar.
2.) It has been reported that she scrubbed the initial speech and asked a friend of hers to help write rewrite it.

This is related, why did they state every speech was vetted and why was hers either not vetted or the vetting failed more importantly why does Trumps organization have so many leaks and why do they appear willing to throw each other under the bus? The Candidates wife if being thrown under the bus, really...
 

Pens1566

Lifer
Oct 11, 2005
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Because for them to admit the mistake shows that the campaign isn't even capable of the handling the most rudimentary tasks put before it. If they can't get this right, how will they be capable of handling things that actually matter?
 

Subyman

Moderator <br> VC&G Forum
Mar 18, 2005
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Well, the Trump Campaign outed the speech writer finally. Melania wrote a few lines on a paper and the speech writer wrote the thing. Supposedly Melania wrote a bunch of Michelle quotes down and handed them to the speech writer. The writer thought they were Melania's words and used them.

Complete lack of communication and editorial oversight. Supposedly Manafort provided a political speech writer, but Melania chose to go with a family friend instead and then this happens. Par for the course!

So...

1) Melania lied about writing it
2) Hillary had nothing to do with this (Manafort said she did wtf?)
3) Trump campaign knew about the speech writer plagiarizing it, but said it wasn't plagiarized

Another example of Trump's campaign being off the rails. At least they cleared this up, but when looking at Trump's messaging yesterday, its a completely different story.
 

openwheel

Platinum Member
Apr 30, 2012
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Why would Melania write a bunch of Michelle's quotes then hand them to speech writers? She couldn't find quotes from Laura Bush or Nancy Reagan? I thought Obamas are the worst human beings EVER according to GOP, Trump and their supporters. Turns out, the Trumps secretly admire Obamas.
 

HomerJS

Lifer
Feb 6, 2002
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Well, the Trump Campaign outed the speech writer finally. Melania wrote a few lines on a paper and the speech writer wrote the thing. Supposedly Melania wrote a bunch of Michelle quotes down and handed them to the speech writer. The writer thought they were Melania's words and used them.

Complete lack of communication and editorial oversight. Supposedly Manafort provided a political speech writer, but Melania chose to go with a family friend instead and then this happens. Par for the course!

So...

1) Melania lied about writing it
2) Hillary had nothing to do with this (Manafort said she did wtf?)
3) Trump campaign knew about the speech writer plagiarizing it, but said it wasn't plagiarized

Another example of Trump's campaign being off the rails. At least they cleared this up, but when looking at Trump's messaging yesterday, its a completely different story.

Melania said she wanted some of Michelle's speech in hers because she admired Mrs. Obama. That's gonna cause a stir.

Wonder how all the surrogates going to explain they were lying?
 

Subyman

Moderator <br> VC&G Forum
Mar 18, 2005
7,876
32
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Why would Melania write a bunch of Michelle's quotes then hand them to speech writers? She couldn't find quotes from Laura Bush or Nancy Reagan? I thought Obamas are the worst human beings EVER according to GOP, Trump and their supporters. Turns out, the Trumps secretly admire Obamas.

Melania has been quite vocal in her support for Michelle Obama. I respect Melania for that. I don't see how anyone can dislike Michelle Obama unless they are under their party's dream trance. She is a very respectable lady and has been a strong first lady.
 

Subyman

Moderator <br> VC&G Forum
Mar 18, 2005
7,876
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Melania said she wanted some of Michelle's speech in hers because she admired Mrs. Obama. That's gonna cause a stir.

Wonder how all the surrogates going to explain they were lying?

Goes back to what I said yesterday. One of the pundits said the people they felt most sorry for were Trump's surrogates having to spew the campaign's official stance on the issue. Now they all look like fools today.

Especially the "My Little Pony" moron :p

Wonder what Christie has to say about this? He swore it wasn't plagiarism! Where is Fern? He said it wasn't plagiarism too!
 

Joepublic2

Golden Member
Jan 22, 2005
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What's bizarre is why they would chose this, of all things, to double down on when it's patently obvious that the speech was plagiarized. There's nothing to gain from lying about this, and a lot to lose as far as their credibility goes. The trump campaign just continuously dumps boxes of ammunition on their opponents doorsteps. There's a lot of better ways they could have spun this.
 
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HomerJS

Lifer
Feb 6, 2002
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What's bizarre is why they would chose this, of all things, to double down on when it's patently obvious that the speech was plagiarized. There's nothing to gain from lying about this, and a lot to lose as far as their credibility goes.

What's more bizzare so many people in this thread fell for "its not plagiarism story". Is it gullible, stupidity or willful ignorance?

Speak up you people!
 
Nov 30, 2006
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Looks like one of Trump's staffers is taking responsibility.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/elections/2016/events/republican-national-convention/

Trump staffer takes responsibility for alleged plagiarism in Melania Trump speech

Trump staffer Meredith McIver has taken responsibility and apologized for the alleged plagiarism of Melania Trump's speech, but id in a statement that the campaign rejected her offer to resign.

Describing herself as an 'in-house staff writer' at the Trump organization, McIver says Mrs. Trump read her some passages of Michelle Obama's speech as examples of what she liked.

"I wrote them down and later included some of the phrasing in the draft that ultimately became the final speech. I did not check Mrs. Obama's speeches. That was my mistake, and I feel terrible for the chaos I have caused Melania and the Trumps, as well as to Mrs. Obama. No harm was meant," she said in a statement.

"Yesterday, I offered my resignation to Mr. Trump and the Trump family, but they rejected it. Mr. Trump told me that people make innocent mistakes and that we learn and grow from these experiences."

"I asked to put out this statement because I did not like seeing the way this was distracting from Mr. Trump&#8217;s historic campaign for president and Melania&#8217;s beautiful message and presentation," she wrote.
 

werepossum

Elite Member
Jul 10, 2006
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lol It's a bit different though. Worse because he was the actual candidate, but better because he didn't lift multiple sentences, just bits and pieces.

This has nothing to do with judging Trump based on his wife's behavior. The greater issue here is that his campaign denies the plagiarism even though it is quite obvious. And not just this - it's a pattern with the Trump campaign. Like that reporter who said his campaign manager grabbed her arm too hard. It was an accusation of very minor misconduct, but they denied it anyway. Because that is what Trump does - he denies every single accusation of wrong doing, no matter what it is.
Dude - he's running against HILLARY.

The tiniest! Which spells doom for his campaign, since he's a hands-on kind of guy. D:
lmao! +1
 

emperus

Diamond Member
Apr 6, 2012
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I call Bullshit on this new story. How can Meredith McIver resign if she was just a family friend? I honestly think Melania wrote it and that's the reason they can't fire anyone for it. I still don't understand why everyone is given her a pass like she is some 2 year old without the capability to do anything but read words.
 
Feb 4, 2009
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Melania has been quite vocal in her support for Michelle Obama. I respect Melania for that. I don't see how anyone can dislike Michelle Obama unless they are under their party's dream trance. She is a very respectable lady and has been a strong first lady.

You're saying the Terrorist Fist Jab isn't true?

2550448254_1168e75520_o.jpg
 
Feb 4, 2009
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I call Bullshit on this new story. How can Meredith McIver resign if she was just a family friend? I honestly think Melania wrote it and that's the reason they can't fire anyone for it. I still don't understand why everyone is given her a pass like she is some 2 year old without the capability to do anything but read words.

She'll resign to a nice job at Trump Tower and maybe even a nice low priced place to rent.
 

nageov3t

Lifer
Feb 18, 2004
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lol It's a bit different though. Worse because he was the actual candidate, but better because he didn't lift multiple sentences, just bits and pieces.

there's also the fact that Obama and Deval Patrick are actually close friends and Patrick encouraged Obama to use the particular lines... it's not like he plagiarized Laura Bush.

they also both had David Axelrod working for them who likely influenced the language for both politicians' speeches.
 
Feb 4, 2009
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Honestly this is what should have happened the morning after the questionable speech. This is what any normal Politician would do and its perfectly acceptable even with some questions unanswered.
 

agent00f

Lifer
Jun 9, 2016
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You will NEVER hear an apology from Trump. A sociopath does not/can not do wrong and thus will never apologize, EVER.

Actually sociopaths will apologize when it suits their interests.

Trump types never apologize because it makes them appear weak which is antithetical to a strongman approach.
 
Feb 4, 2009
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Hillary must have paid Meredith off. Or paid her to plagiarize Michelle. Or both. Probably both.

Hillary probably intercepted secure email between the writer and Malania, then inserted the embarrassing paragraphs. You can do stuff like that with an email server and stuff...
 
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